Superannuation Calculator — Retirement Projection Tool
How much super will you have at retirement? Find out.
Forecast retirement balances, compare nominal and inflation-adjusted growth, and estimate what that balance could mean as an annual retirement drawdown.
Super Projection Inputs
Use the latest balance shown in your super fund or myGov.
Projection Settings
Toggle between nominal returns and inflation-adjusted real returns.
Before-inflation growth rate of your super fund.
Used to convert nominal values to today's dollars.
Projection mode
Super Projection
Projected balance at age 67
$2,286,728
Estimated drawdown to age 90: $99,423 / year
Inflation-adjusted equivalent: $1,238,557
- Projection years
- 32
- Annual concessional
- $12,000
- Employer contribution
- $12,000
- Voluntary contribution
- $0
- Cap headroom
- $18,000
- Annual concessional contributions sit within the $30,000 cap for 2025-26.
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How the Super Projection Works
Why Project Your Super Balance?
Most Australians check their super balance once or twice a year, but rarely project what it will look like at retirement. Small changes to contribution rates compound dramatically over 20–40 years — an extra 2% salary sacrifice starting at age 30 can mean $200,000+ more at retirement. This superannuation calculator lets you visualise those compounding effects and answer the question "how much super will I have?" by comparing what different return assumptions mean in today's dollars.
How It Works
- Enter your current balance: Use the latest total shown by your super fund or ATO online services.
- Set contribution rates:Add your employer SG rate and any voluntary salary-sacrifice percentage you're making or considering.
- Choose return assumptions: Compare nominal returns (raw percentage) with real returns (adjusted for inflation) to see the difference in purchasing power.
- Review projected balance and drawdown: The chart shows your balance trajectory to retirement, and the drawdown estimate gives a simple annual income benchmark.
Key Concepts
Concessional Cap
The annual limit on tax-deductible (pre-tax) contributions — $30,000 for 2025-26. Includes employer SG plus your salary sacrifice. The cap may differ for other financial years; the calculator adjusts automatically when you switch.
Compound Growth
Returns earned on your balance generate their own returns the following year. Over decades, this snowball effect is the biggest driver of your final balance.
Real vs Nominal Returns
Nominal returns show raw growth. Real returns subtract inflation, showing what the balance can actually buy in today's dollars — a more useful planning lens.
Drawdown Estimate
Divides your projected balance by the years between retirement and age 90. A simple benchmark for annual retirement income, not a pension strategy.
Example Projections
Age 25
Starting balance: $15,000
On a $65,000 salary with employer SG only and 7% nominal returns, the projected balance at 67 is roughly $2,182,000. Adding 3% salary sacrifice pushes it to $2,663,000 — a $481,000+ difference from one small change made early.
Age 35
Starting balance: $80,000
On a $95,000 salary with SG only, the projected balance at 67 is around $2,042,000 nominal. Switching to real returns shows roughly $1,117,000in today's dollars — a useful reality check against the headline number.
Age 45
Starting balance: $200,000
With 22 years to retirement, the existing balance does a lot of the heavy lifting. At this stage, maximising concessional contributions (salary sacrifice up to the $30k cap) becomes the most impactful lever for closing any gap.
Using super projections responsibly
Contribution rate matters more than most people think
Small changes to your contribution rate compound over decades. Even modest salary-sacrifice percentages can materially change the balance shown at retirement.
Real returns are often the more useful planning lens
Nominal balances look larger, but real balances are better for answering the question that actually matters: what will the money buy in retirement?
This is a simplified projection, not advice
The model assumes constant salary, contributions and return rates. Market volatility, tax settings, insurance premiums and legislative changes can all materially change the real outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the projection assume each year?
The tool adds annual employer and voluntary contributions to the opening balance, then applies the selected return rate to that combined amount. Salary is held constant in this simplified projection so you can isolate the effect of contribution rates and investment returns.
What is the difference between nominal and real returns?
Nominal returns use the raw expected investment return. Real returns adjust that rate for inflation so the projected balance is shown in today's purchasing-power terms instead of future dollars.
How is the drawdown estimate calculated?
The annual drawdown estimate divides the projected retirement balance by the number of years between your retirement age and age 90. It is a simple planning benchmark, not a pension strategy recommendation.
Does the calculator check the concessional cap?
Yes. Employer contributions plus voluntary concessional contributions are compared with the selected year's concessional cap so you can spot when salary-sacrifice settings would likely exceed it.
How does salary sacrifice affect the super projection?
Salary sacrifice increases your annual contribution, which compounds over decades. Even an extra 2–3% of salary sacrificed into super can add tens of thousands of dollars by retirement due to compound growth, and the contributions are taxed at 15% rather than your marginal rate.
What is a reasonable return assumption?
A balanced super fund has historically returned around 7–8% nominal per year over long periods. After inflation (typically 2.5–3%), that gives a real return of roughly 4.5–5.5%. Conservative funds sit lower, growth funds higher. The tool lets you test different rates so you can see the range of possible outcomes.
How much super will I have when I retire?
It depends on your current age, balance, salary, contribution rate, and investment returns. Enter your details into the superannuation calculator above to see a projected balance at your chosen retirement age. For example, a 30-year-old on $85,000 with $40,000 existing balance and employer SG only projects roughly $2,239,000 nominal (or $1,143,000 in today's dollars) at 67 with 7% returns.
How much super should I have at my age?
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) suggests benchmarks like $65,000 by age 30, $175,000 by 40, $345,000 by 50, and $520,000 by 60 for a comfortable retirement. Use this retirement calculator to see where your balance is tracking and how contribution changes could close any gap.
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